We're finally cutting our home phone!

**MomToTwoBoys** · 08-06-2009, 11:16 PM

We are also getting rid of the alarm system that we had through ADT.

Tonight, a salesman helped us to get a wireless alarm system that feeds through the cell phone, so we don't need our home phone anymore. The cost? $12 more dollars a month, but we're also getting rid of the phone which was running us $65 a month. So in all, we're basically getting the alarm system for free each month and saving a bit of money as well.

We figure that if we want to call someone long distance, that's what calling cards are for. Besides, my mother has unlimited long distance and she can call me as well.

This will even work for us if we decide to get Pay as You Go for our phones in December and March, since that's when our contracts with Rogers ends. We're also at liberty to change around our cell phone plans and make them more friendly to being used more frequently than they are now.

**Palooka** · 08-06-2009, 11:19 PM

Sounds like a good deal. Can't you also just use your cell phone if you need to make a long distance call instead of a calling card?

**dogwalker79** · 08-06-2009, 11:40 PM

Rock on! We're looking into giving the landline the boot. That's a nice chunk of change you'll be saving!

**Saydee** · 08-06-2009, 11:52 PM

I've been wanting to get rid of ours for awhile now but we still need it for our internet.

**frugalfranny** · 08-07-2009, 02:29 AM

Congrats........more money saved...way to go!

Why was the phone bill $65.......was that bells and whistles?

**dmarie** · 08-07-2009, 09:24 AM

I would love to get rid of our phone and Direct Tv 130 a month is not worth it come april both are out of here lol.

**GenB** · 08-07-2009, 10:35 AM

I would LOVE to get rid of our land line! We have the "circle" thing thru our cell phone plan so I call my mom for free anyway on my cell.

I can't figure out how to do the alarm and the computer, though. It sure would be nice not to be tied down to that bill every month!

Congrats!!

**MomToTwoBoys** · 08-07-2009, 10:44 AM

Originally Posted by Palooka

Sounds like a good deal. Can't you also just use your cell phone if you need to make a long distance call instead of a calling card?

I could. I would have to check on rates and see if we can change our plan around to include some long distance minutes for cheaper.

Originally Posted by frugalfranny

Congrats........more money saved...way to go!

Why was the phone bill $65.......was that bells and whistles?

The $65 was unlimited long distance to 30 countries, plus Canada and the US, and some other goodies. We've been wanting to axe it for a while, and just recently found out it was $65. When we signed up, we thought we were only paying $20.95/mo.

Originally Posted by GenB

I would LOVE to get rid of our land line! We have the "circle" thing thru our cell phone plan so I call my mom for free anyway on my cell.

I can't figure out how to do the alarm and the computer, though. It sure would be nice not to be tied down to that bill every month!

Congrats!!

Our first alarm system was wired, so we had to keep the phone for that. This system has a wireless unit, CO2 censor, 2 remotes so we can arm the system while we're outside, and four zones. We're also having a sensor put on the basement window when they come back to install the CO2 sensor. We didn't have a CO2 sensor on the last system.

This new system is so much easier to use. It's through a company called APX Alarm and is a division of Honeywell. We had ADT, which was fine but it didn't give us enough options.

**C@rol** · 08-07-2009, 12:55 PM

Good for you!

We got rid of our land line and digital phone a couple of months ago. They both were pretty much unused and dh has a cell provided by work and I have one.

It was a little scary at first (have had a land line for over 30 years) but it's working out just fine and it's a lot quieter and no telemarketers calling.

**Pemberleyan** · 08-07-2009, 02:05 PM

We still have our land line, which is also about $65.00. That includes call waiting, forwarding, blocking, etc., plus making all calls in our area code cost the same as local. It does not include long distance. If we had better cell coverage here, it would be worth it to cancel the landline!

**maryannsms** · 08-10-2009, 09:27 AM

We also wanted to cut our phone back home. So we can save some. But its just not possible as I really need it for my internet.

**beks37** · 08-10-2009, 11:18 AM

Nice work! With cell phones these days, land lines are becoming useless. I know our telephone provider keeps trying to sell us a land line. For even $10 a month, we wouldn't use it.

**SammeyG** · 08-12-2009, 12:50 AM

We have had no landline for about a year now. We have cell phones with free long distance if we stay in our coverage area. Vary rarely are we out of it. But way to go.

**Learningtobefrugal** · 08-12-2009, 11:39 PM

I cut my home phone a year ago..purchased Magic Jack and for 20 dollars a year have a technical home phone..
This is a poor mans version of a land line but I was able to keep my DSL thru Verizon and since I use my prepaid cell phone more than I do a home phone works well for me.

I saved 50 dollars per month and don't miss it..

I am looking into ooma which is a similar system but it runs 200 dollars..so if I can save enough amazon gc's I may invest in it..

**MomToTwoBoys** · 08-14-2009, 01:04 PM

Originally Posted by Learningtobefrugal

I cut my home phone a year ago..purchased Magic Jack and for 20 dollars a year have a technical home phone..
This is a poor mans version of a land line but I was able to keep my DSL thru Verizon and since I use my prepaid cell phone more than I do a home phone works well for me.

I saved 50 dollars per month and don't miss it..

I am looking into ooma which is a similar system but it runs 200 dollars..so if I can save enough amazon gc's I may invest in it..

My mom had Magic Jack and she ditched it. It was like talking to her in Japan and it always cut out on her. It would randomly send this beep sound to whomever she was talking to. She felt better going back to her old number.